System and method for gifting virtual currency within a virtual space of a social network

ABSTRACT

Gifting of virtual items between users of a virtual space may be facilitated. A purchase interface may be presented to a first user. The purchase interface may be configured to receive selection from the first user of (i) a virtual item for purchase, and (ii) one or more users with which the first user has established a virtual space relationship. Responsive to selection by the first user through the purchase interface of a first virtual item and a second user with which the first user has established a virtual space relationship, the first virtual item may be distributed to the second user in the virtual space.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates to facilitating gifting of virtual items betweenusers of a virtual space.

BACKGROUND

Systems facilitating purchases of virtual items are known. In thesesystems, however, purchased virtual items are typically associated withthe purchaser. That is, a virtual item purchased by a given user will becontrolled by the given user and/or added to an inventory of the givenuser.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the disclosure relates to a system configured tofacilitate gifting of virtual items between users of a virtual space, inaccordance with one or more implementations. According to exemplaryimplementations, a first user may be presented with one or more virtualitems and one or more other users with which the first user hasestablished a virtual space relationship. The first user may select avirtual item and one of the other users. The first user may providepayment for the selected virtual item. Upon selection and/or payment,the selected virtual item may be distributed to the selected user. Insome implementations, the system may include one or more servers. Theserver(s) may be configured to communicate with one or more clientcomputing platforms according to a client/server architecture. The usersmay access the system and/or the virtual space via the client computingplatform(s).

The server(s) may be configured to execute one or more computer programmodules. The computer program modules may include one or more of a spacemodule, a user account module, a virtual item purchase module, a paymentmodule, a virtual item distribution module, and/or other modules.

The space module may be configured to implement an instance of thevirtual space executed by the computer modules to determine views of thevirtual space. The views may then be communicated to the clientcomputing platform(s) for presentation to users. The view determined andtransmitted to a given client computing platform may correspond to auser character being controlled by a user via the given client computingplatform. Within the instance(s) of the virtual space executed by thespace module, users may control characters, objects, simulated physicalphenomena (e.g., wind, rain, earthquakes, and/or other phenomena),and/or other elements within the virtual space to interact with thevirtual space and/or each other. The user may have an “inventory” ofvirtual items that the user can use (e.g., by manipulation of a usercharacter or other user controlled element, and/or other items) withinthe virtual space. Virtual items may comprise a virtual good, a virtualcurrency, and/or other virtual items.

The user account module may be configured to manage user accountsassociated with individual users. For example, the user accounts mayinclude a first user account associated with a first user. According tosome implementations, a given user account may include one or more ofsocial network information, alliance information, character information,and/or other information. Social network information may identify otherusers with which the first user has established social networkrelationships on a social networking platform that is separate from thevirtual space.

Alliance information may identify other users with which the first userhas established virtual space relationships within the virtual space.Virtual space relationships may include one or more of friendships,guilds (with guild-mates), alliances, connections, followers, and/orother relationships. Virtual space relationships may include one or moretypes of relationships that have a functional purpose or impact withinthe virtual space, and/or one or more types of relationships that asocial construct within the virtual space that does not have afunctional result. In some implementations, a virtual space relationshipbetween the first user and a second user may comprise a relationshipformed between a first character that is controlled by the first user inthe virtual space and a second character that is controlled by thesecond user in the virtual space.

Character information may include information associated with acharacter controlled by a given user in the virtual space. Examples ofcharacter information may include an appearance of a user character,abilities of a user character within the virtual space, possessions ininventory of the user character, and/or other information associatedwith characters controlled by users in the virtual space.

The virtual item purchase module may be configured to generateinformation that causes a purchase interface to be presented to a givenuser by a client computing platform associated with the given user. Thepurchase interface may be configured to receive one or more userselections. The purchase interface may be configured to present one ormore virtual items for purchase. The purchase interface may beconfigured to facilitate browsing and/or searching among the one or morepresented virtual items. A selection from the given user may include aselection of a virtual item for purchase. The purchase interface may beconfigured to present one or more representations corresponding to otherusers with the given user has established a virtual space relationship.The purchase interface may be configured to facilitate browsing and/orsearching among the other users with the given user has established avirtual space relationship. A selection from a user may include aselection of one or more other users with which the user has establisheda virtual space relationship.

The payment module may be configured to obtain payment from a user for avirtual item. Such a virtual item may be one selected via the virtualitem purchase module. In some implementations, payment may be obtainedfrom a third-party service via a credit card, a debit card, anelectronic check, an internet payment service (e.g., PayPal), and/orother services for obtaining payment. Payment information may beobtained via a field included in the purchase interface.

The virtual item distribution module may be configured to distribute theselected virtual item to the selected user in the virtual space. Suchdistribution may be responsive to selection by a first user through thepurchase interface of a first virtual item and a second user with whichthe first user has established a virtual space relationship. In someimplementations, distribution of the selected virtual item to theselected user may be responsive to obtaining the payment from the firstuser. Distribution of selected virtual item to the selected user maycomprise providing control of the selected virtual item to the selecteduser in the virtual space. By way of non-limiting illustration, wherethe selected virtual item is a clothing article for a user character,the clothing article may be controlled by the selected user in thevirtual space upon distribution of the clothing article. In someimplementations, distribution of the selected virtual item to theselected user may comprise adding the selected virtual item to aninventory of a user character that is controlled by the selected user inthe virtual space.

These and other features, and characteristics of the present technology,as well as the methods of operation and functions of the relatedelements of structure and the combination of parts and economies ofmanufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing description and the appended claims with reference to theaccompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification,wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in thevarious figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that thedrawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only andare not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As usedin the specification and in the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”,and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictatesotherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system configured to facilitate gifting of virtualitems between users of a virtual space, in accordance with one or moreimplementations.

FIG. 2 illustrates a purchase interface provided in the systemillustrated in FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more implementations.

FIG. 3 illustrates a method of facilitating gifting of virtual itemsbetween users of a virtual space, in accordance with one or moreimplementations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 configured to facilitate gifting ofvirtual items between users of a virtual space, in accordance with oneor more implementations. According to exemplary implementations, a firstuser may be presented with one or more virtual items and one or moreother users with which the first user has established a virtual spacerelationship. The first user may select a virtual item and one of theother users. The first user may provide payment for the selected virtualitem. Upon selection and/or payment, the selected virtual item may bedistributed to the selected user. In some implementations, system 100may include one or more servers 102. The server(s) 102 may be configuredto communicate with one or more client computing platforms 104 accordingto a client/server architecture. The users may access system 100 and/orthe virtual space via client computing platform(s) 104.

The server(s) 102 may be configured to execute one or more computerprogram modules. The computer program modules may include one or more ofa space module 106, a user account module 108, a virtual item purchasemodule 110, a payment module 112, a virtual item distribution module114, and/or other modules.

The space module 106 may be configured to implement an instance of thevirtual space executed by the computer modules to determine views of thevirtual space. The views may then be communicated (e.g., via streaming,via object/position data, and/or other information) from server(s) 102to client computing platform(s) 104 for presentation to users. The viewdetermined and transmitted to a given client computing platform 104 maycorrespond to a user character being controlled by a user via the givenclient computing platform 104. The view determined and transmitted to agiven client computing platform 104 may correspond to a location in thevirtual space (e.g., the location from which the view is taken, thelocation the view depicts, and/or other locations), a zoom ratio, adimensionality of objects, a point-of-view, and/or view parameters. Oneor more of the view parameters may be selectable by the user.

The instance of the virtual space may comprise a simulated space that isaccessible by users via clients (e.g., client computing platform(s) 104)that present the views of the virtual space to a user. In someimplementations, the virtual space may include an online game played byone or more users. The simulated space may have a topography, expressongoing real-time interaction by one or more users, and/or include oneor more objects positioned within the topography that are capable oflocomotion within the topography. In some instances, the topography maybe a 2-dimensional topography. In other instances, the topography may bea 3-dimensional topography. The topography may include dimensions of thespace, and/or surface features of a surface or objects that are “native”to the space. In some instances, the topography may describe a surface(e.g., a ground surface) that runs through at least a substantialportion of the space. In some instances, the topography may describe avolume with one or more bodies positioned therein (e.g., a simulation ofgravity-deprived space with one or more celestial bodies positionedtherein). The instance executed by the computer modules may besynchronous, asynchronous, and/or semi-synchronous.

The above description of the manner in which views of the virtual spaceare determined by space module 106 is not intended to be limiting. Thespace module 106 may be configured to express the virtual space in amore limited, or more rich, manner. For example, views determined forthe virtual space may be selected from a limited set of graphicsdepicting an event in a given place within the virtual space. The viewsmay include additional content (e.g., text, audio, pre-stored videocontent, and/or other content) that describes particulars of the currentstate of the place, beyond the relatively generic graphics. For example,a view may include a generic battle graphic with a textual descriptionof the opponents to be confronted. Other expressions of individualplaces within the virtual space are contemplated.

Within the instance(s) of the virtual space executed by space module106, users may control characters, objects, simulated physical phenomena(e.g., wind, rain, earthquakes, and/or other phenomena), and/or otherelements within the virtual space to interact with the virtual spaceand/or each other. The user characters may include avatars. As usedherein, the term “user character” may refer to an object (or group ofobjects) present in the virtual space that represents an individualuser. The user character may be controlled by the user with which it isassociated. The user controlled element(s) may move through and interactwith the virtual space (e.g., non-user characters in the virtual space,other objects in the virtual space). The user controlled elementscontrolled by and/or associated with a given user may be created and/orcustomized by the given user. The user may have an “inventory” ofvirtual items that the user can use (e.g., by manipulation of a usercharacter or other user controlled element, and/or other items) withinthe virtual space. Virtual items may comprise a virtual good, a virtualcurrency, and/or other virtual items.

The users may participate in the instance of the virtual space bycontrolling one or more of the available user controlled elements in thevirtual space. Control may be exercised through control inputs and/orcommands input by the users through client computing platform(s) 104.The users may interact with each other through communications exchangedwithin the virtual space. Such communications may include one or more oftextual chat, instant messages, private messages, voice communications,and/or other communications. Communications may be received and enteredby the users via their respective client computing platform(s) 104.Communications may be routed to and from the appropriate users throughserver(s) 102 (e.g., through space module 106).

The user account module 108 may be configured to manage user accountsassociated with individual users. For example, the user accounts mayinclude a first user account associated with a first user. According tosome implementations, a given user account may include one or more ofsocial network information, alliance information, character information,and/or other information. Social network information may identify otherusers with which the first user has established social networkrelationships on a social networking platform that is separate from thevirtual space.

Alliance information may identify other users with which the first userhas established virtual space relationships within the virtual space.Virtual space relationships may include one or more of friendships,guilds (with guild-mates), alliances, connections, followers, and/orother relationships. Virtual space relationships may include one or moretypes of relationships that have a functional purpose or impact withinthe virtual space, and/or one or more types of relationships that asocial construct within the virtual space that does not have afunctional result. In some implementations, a virtual space relationshipbetween the first user and a second user may comprise a relationshipformed between a first character that is controlled by the first user inthe virtual space and a second character that is controlled by thesecond user in the virtual space.

Character information may include information associated with acharacter controlled by a given user in the virtual space. Examples ofcharacter information may include an appearance of a user character,abilities of a user character within the virtual space, possessions ininventory of the user character, and/or other information associatedwith characters controlled by users in the virtual space.

Individual ones of the user accounts may include information stored byserver(s) 102, one or more of the client computing platform(s) 104,and/or other storage locations. Such information may include, forexample, information identifying users (e.g., a username or handle, anumber, an identifier, and/or other identifying information) within thevirtual space, security login information (e.g., a login code orpassword), virtual space account information, subscription information,virtual currency account information (e.g., related to currency held incredit for a user), virtual space usage information, demographicinformation associated with users, interaction history among users inthe virtual space, information stated by users, purchase information ofusers, browsing history of users, a client computing platformidentification associated with a user, a phone number associated with auser, and/or other information related to users.

The virtual item purchase module 110 may be configured to generateinformation that causes a purchase interface to be presented to a givenuser by a client computing platform 104 associated with the given user.The purchase interface may be configured to receive one or more userselections. The purchase interface may be configured to present one ormore virtual items for purchase. The purchase interface may beconfigured to facilitate browsing and/or searching among the one or morepresented virtual items. A selection from the given user may include aselection of a virtual item for purchase. The purchase interface may beconfigured to present one or more representations corresponding to otherusers with the given user has established a virtual space relationship.The purchase interface may be configured to facilitate browsing and/orsearching among the other users with the given user has established avirtual space relationship. A selection from a user may include aselection of one or more other users with which the user has establisheda virtual space relationship.

FIG. 2 illustrates a purchase interface 200, which may be presentedresponsive to information generated by virtual item purchase module 110,in accordance with one or more implementations. As depicted in FIG. 2,purchase interface 200 includes one or more of a virtual item forpurchase field 202, a virtual space relationships field 204, and/orother elements. The depiction of purchase interface 200 in FIG. 2 is notintended to be limiting as purchase interface 200 may include more orless elements than those shown. Furthermore, one or more elements ofpurchase interface 200 may be combined as a single element.

The virtual item for purchase field 202 may be configured to present oneor more virtual items for purchase, of which a user may browse and/orsearch. According to various implementations, individual virtual itemsmay be represented in virtual item for purchase field 202 by a graphicrepresentation, a textual representation, and/or other representationsindicative of a virtual item. The virtual item for purchase field 202may be configured to receive a selection from the user of a virtual itemfor purchase. In some implementations, virtual item for purchase field202 may present a cost of individual presented virtual items and/or acost of the selected virtual item.

The virtual space relationships field 204 may be configured to presentone or more representations corresponding to other users with which thegiven user has established a virtual space relationship. The virtualspace relationships field 204 may be configured to facilitate browsingand/or searching among the representations. The virtual spacerelationships field 204 may be configured to receive a selection of oneor more other users with which the user has established a virtual spacerelationship. According to some implementations, a given representationmay include a graphic representation, a textual representation, and/orother representations indicative of other users with which the user hasestablished a virtual space relationship. In some implementations,virtual space relationships field 204 may include a list of selectableicons associated with users with which the first user has establishedvirtual space relationships without regard for whether the first userhas established social network relationships with such users.

Referring again to FIG. 1, payment module 112 may be configured toobtain payment from a user for a virtual item. Such a virtual item maybe one selected via virtual item purchase module 110. In someimplementations, payment may be obtained from a third-party service viaa credit card, a debit card, an electronic check, an internet paymentservice (e.g., PayPal), and/or other services for obtaining payment.Payment information may be obtained via a field included in the purchaseinterface.

The virtual item distribution module 114 may be configured to distributethe selected virtual item to the selected user in the virtual space.Such distribution may be responsive to selection by a first user throughthe purchase interface of a first virtual item and a second user withwhich the first user has established a virtual space relationship. Insome implementations, distribution of the selected virtual item to theselected user may be responsive to obtaining the payment from the firstuser. Distribution of selected virtual item to the selected user maycomprise providing control of the selected virtual item to the selecteduser in the virtual space. By way of non-limiting illustration, wherethe selected virtual item is a clothing article for a user character,the clothing article may be controlled by the selected user in thevirtual space upon distribution of the clothing article. In someimplementations, distribution of the selected virtual item to theselected user may comprise adding the selected virtual item to aninventory of a user character that is controlled by the selected user inthe virtual space.

In some implementations, server(s) 102, client computing platform(s)104, and/or external resources 116 may be operatively linked via one ormore electronic communication links. For example, such electroniccommunication links may be established, at least in part, via a networksuch as the Internet and/or other networks. It will be appreciated thatthis is not intended to be limiting, and that the scope of thisdisclosure includes implementations in which server(s) 102, clientcomputing platform(s) 104, and/or external resources 116 may beoperatively linked via some other communication media.

A given client computing platform 104 may include one or more processorsconfigured to execute computer program modules. The computer programmodules may be configured to enable an expert or user associated withthe given client computing platform 104 to interface with system 100and/or external resources 116, and/or provide other functionalityattributed herein to client computing platform(s) 104. By way ofnon-limiting example, the given client computing platform 104 mayinclude one or more of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a handheldcomputer, a NetBook, a Smartphone, a gaming console, and/or othercomputing platforms.

The external resources 116 may include sources of information, hostsand/or providers of virtual environments outside of system 100, externalentities participating with system 100, and/or other resources. In someimplementations, some or all of the functionality attributed herein toexternal resources 116 may be provided by resources included in system100.

The server(s) 102 may include electronic storage 118, one or moreprocessors 120, and/or other components. The server(s) 102 may includecommunication lines, or ports to enable the exchange of information witha network and/or other computing platforms. Illustration of server(s)102 in FIG. 1 is not intended to be limiting. The server(s) 102 mayinclude a plurality of hardware, software, and/or firmware componentsoperating together to provide the functionality attributed herein toserver(s) 102. For example, server(s) 102 may be implemented by a cloudof computing platforms operating together as server(s) 102.

Electronic storage 118 may comprise electronic storage media thatelectronically stores information. The electronic storage media ofelectronic storage 118 may include one or both of system storage that isprovided integrally (i.e., substantially non-removable) with server(s)102 and/or removable storage that is removably connectable to server(s)102 via, for example, a port (e.g., a USB port, a firewire port, etc.)or a drive (e.g., a disk drive, etc.). Electronic storage 118 mayinclude one or more of optically readable storage media (e.g., opticaldisks, etc.), magnetically readable storage media (e.g., magnetic tape,magnetic hard drive, floppy drive, etc.), electrical charge-basedstorage media (e.g., EEPROM, RAM, etc.), solid-state storage media(e.g., flash drive, etc.), and/or other electronically readable storagemedia. The electronic storage 118 may include one or more virtualstorage resources (e.g., cloud storage, a virtual private network,and/or other virtual storage resources). Electronic storage 118 maystore software algorithms, information determined by processor(s) 120,information received from server(s) 102, information received fromclient computing platform(s) 104, and/or other information that enablesserver(s) 102 to function as described herein.

The processor(s) 120 may be configured to provide information processingcapabilities in server(s) 102. As such, processor(s) 120 may include oneor more of a digital processor, an analog processor, a digital circuitdesigned to process information, an analog circuit designed to processinformation, a state machine, and/or other mechanisms for electronicallyprocessing information. Although processor(s) 120 is shown in FIG. 1 asa single entity, this is for illustrative purposes only. In someimplementations, processor(s) 120 may include a plurality of processingunits. These processing units may be physically located within the samedevice, or processor(s) 120 may represent processing functionality of aplurality of devices operating in coordination. The processor(s) 120 maybe configured to execute modules 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, and/or othermodules. The processor(s) 120 may be configured to execute modules 106,108, 110, 112, 114, and/or other modules by software; hardware;firmware; some combination of software, hardware, and/or firmware;and/or other mechanisms for configuring processing capabilities onprocessor(s) 120.

It should be appreciated that although modules 106, 108, 110, 112, and114 are illustrated in FIG. 1 as being co-located within a singleprocessing unit, in implementations in which processor(s) 120 includesmultiple processing units, one or more of modules 106, 108, 110, 112,and/or 114 may be located remotely from the other modules. Thedescription of the functionality provided by the different modules 106,108, 110, 112, and/or 114 described below is for illustrative purposes,and is not intended to be limiting, as any of modules 106, 108, 110,112, and/or 114 may provide more or less functionality than isdescribed. For example, one or more of modules 106, 108, 110, 112,and/or 114 may be eliminated, and some or all of its functionality maybe provided by other ones of modules 106, 108, 110, 112, and/or 114. Asanother example, processor(s) 120 may be configured to execute one ormore additional modules that may perform some or all of thefunctionality attributed below to one of modules 106, 108, 110, 112,and/or 114.

FIG. 3 illustrates a method 300 of facilitating gifting of virtual itemsbetween users of a virtual space, in accordance with one or moreimplementations. The operations of method 300 presented below areintended to be illustrative. In some implementations, method 300 may beaccomplished with one or more additional operations not described,and/or without one or more of the operations discussed. Additionally,the order in which the operations of method 300 are illustrated in FIG.3 and described below is not intended to be limiting.

In some implementations, method 300 may be implemented in one or moreprocessing devices (e.g., a digital processor, an analog processor, adigital circuit designed to process information, an analog circuitdesigned to process information, a state machine, and/or othermechanisms for electronically processing information). The one or moreprocessing devices may include one or more devices executing some or allof the operations of method 300 in response to instructions storedelectronically on an electronic storage medium. The one or moreprocessing devices may include one or more devices configured throughhardware, firmware, and/or software to be specifically designed forexecution of one or more of the operations of method 300.

At an operation 302, an instance of a virtual space may be executed.Operation 302 may be performed by a space module that is the same as orsimilar to space module 106, in accordance with one or moreimplementations.

At an operation 304, the instance of the virtual space may beimplemented to determine view information defining views of the instanceof the virtual space for presentation to users. Operation 304 may beperformed by a space module that is the same as or similar to spacemodule 106, in accordance with one or more implementations.

At an operation 306, user accounts associated with individual users maybe managed. The user accounts may include a first user accountassociated with a first user. In some implementations, the first useraccount may comprise social network information, alliance information,and/or character information. The social network information mayidentify other users with which the first user has established socialnetwork relationships on a social networking platform that is separatefrom the virtual space. The alliance information may identify otherusers with which the first user has established virtual spacerelationships within the virtual space. The character information mayinclude information for a first character controlled by the first userin the virtual space. Operation 306 may be performed by a user accountmodule that is the same as or similar to user account module 108, inaccordance with one or more implementations.

At an operation 308, information may be generated that causes a purchaseinterface to be presented to the first user. Operation 308 may beperformed by a virtual item purchase module that is the same as orsimilar to virtual item purchase module 110, in accordance with one ormore implementations.

At an operation 310, selection may be received from the first user viathe purchase interface of (i) a virtual item for purchase, and (ii) oneor more users with which the first user has established a virtual spacerelationship. Operation 310 may be performed by a virtual item purchasemodule that is the same as or similar to virtual item purchase module110, in accordance with one or more implementations.

At an operation 312, the first virtual item may be distributed to thesecond user in the virtual space. Such distribution may be responsive toselection by the first user through the purchase interface of a firstvirtual item and a second user with which the first user has establisheda virtual space relationship. Operation 312 may be performed by avirtual item distribution module that is the same as or similar tovirtual item distribution module 114, in accordance with one or moreimplementations.

Although the present technology has been described in detail for thepurpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be themost practical and preferred implementations, it is to be understoodthat such detail is solely for that purpose and that the technology isnot limited to the disclosed implementations, but, on the contrary, isintended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that arewithin the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it isto be understood that the present technology contemplates that, to theextent possible, one or more features of any implementation can becombined with one or more features of any other implementation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system configured to facilitate gifting ofvirtual currency between users of a virtual space, the systemcomprising: one or more processors configured to execute computerprogram modules, the computer program modules comprising: a space moduleconfigured to execute an instance of a virtual space, and to implementthe instance of the virtual space to determine view information definingviews of the instance of the virtual space for presentation to usersthrough a social networking platform; a user account module configuredto manage user accounts associated with individual users, the useraccounts including a first user account associated with a first user,wherein the first user account comprises: social network informationthat identifies other users with which the first user has establishedsocial network relationships on the social networking platform; allianceinformation that identifies a second set of users with which the firstuser has established virtual space relationships within the virtualspace, wherein the established virtual relationships are independentfrom the established social network relationships; and characterinformation for a first character controlled by the first user in thevirtual space; a virtual item purchase module configured to generateinformation that causes a purchase interface to be presented to thefirst user, the purchase interface being configured to receive selectionfrom the first user of (i) virtual currency for purchase, and (ii) oneor more users from the second set of users; and a virtual itemdistribution module configured to distribute, responsive to selection bythe first user through the purchase interface of a first amount ofvirtual currency and a second user with which the first user hasestablished a virtual space relationship, the first amount of virtualcurrency to the second user in the virtual space, wherein the firstamount of virtual currency is held in credit for the second user upondistribution.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual itempurchase module is configured such that the purchase interface to bepresented to the first user includes a list of selectable iconsassociated with users with which the first user has established virtualspace relationships without regard for whether the first user hasestablished social network relationships with such users, such that theusers associated with the selectable icons include a social network userand a virtual space user having established relationships with the firstuser.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual item purchase moduleis configured such that the purchase interface presents a cost of thevirtual currency.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the computer programmodules further comprise a payment module configured to obtain paymentfrom the first user for the virtual currency, and wherein the virtualcurrency distribution module is further configured such thatdistribution of the first amount of virtual currency to the second useris responsive to obtaining the payment from the first user.
 5. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the virtual space relationship between thefirst user and the second user comprises a relationship formed betweenthe first character and a second character that is controlled by thesecond user in the virtual space.
 6. The system of claim 1, whereindistribution of the virtual currency to the second user comprisesproviding control of the virtual item currency to the second user in thevirtual space.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein distribution of thevirtual currency to the second user comprises adding the virtualcurrency to an inventory of a second character that is controlled by thesecond user in the virtual space.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein thespace module is configured such that an online game is played by thefirst user and the second user in the virtual space.
 9. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the first set of users and the second set of usersinclude at least one user in common, and wherein the second set of usersincludes at least one user that is not included in the first set ofusers.
 10. A computer-implemented method of facilitating gifting ofvirtual currency between users of a virtual space, the method beingimplemented in a computer system comprising one or more physicalprocessors configured to execute computer program modules, the methodcomprising: executing, on the one or more processors, an instance of avirtual space; implementing, on the one or more processors, the instanceof the virtual space to determine view information defining views of theinstance of the virtual space for presentation to users through a socialnetwork platform; managing, on the one or more processors, user accountsassociated with individual users, the user accounts including a firstuser account associated with a first user, wherein the first useraccount comprises: social network information that identifies a firstset of users with which the first user has established social networkrelationships on the social networking platform; alliance informationthat identifies ether a second set of users with which the first userhas established virtual space relationships within the virtual space,wherein the established virtual space relationships are independent fromthe established social network relationships; and character informationfor a first character controlled by the first user in the virtual space;generating, on the one or more processors, information that causes apurchase interface to be presented to the first user, the purchaseinterface being configured to receive selection from the first user of(i) virtual currency for purchase, and (ii) one or more users from thesecond set of users; and distributing, responsive to selection by thefirst user through the purchase interface of a first amount of virtualcurrency and a second user with which the first user has established avirtual space relationship, the first amount of virtual currency to thesecond user in the virtual space, wherein the first amount of virtualcurrency is held in credit for the second user upon distribution. 11.The method of claim 10, wherein the purchase interface includes a listof selectable icons associated with users with which the first user hasestablished virtual space relationships without regard for whether thefirst user has established social network relationships with such users,such that the users associated with the selectable icons include asocial network user and a virtual space user having establishedrelationships with the first user.
 12. The method of claim 10, whereinthe purchase interface presents a cost of the virtual currency.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, further comprising obtaining payment from the firstuser for the virtual currency, and wherein distribution of the firstvirtual currency to the second user is responsive to obtaining thepayment from the first user.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein thevirtual space relationship between the first user and the second usercomprises a relationship formed between the first character and a secondcharacter that is controlled by the second user in the virtual space.15. The method of claim 10, wherein distribution of the virtual currencyto the second user comprises providing control of the virtual currencyto the second user in the virtual space.
 16. The method of claim 10,wherein distribution of the virtual currency to the second usercomprises adding the virtual currency to an inventory of a secondcharacter that is controlled by the second user in the virtual space.17. The method of claim 10, wherein an online game is played by thefirst user and the second user in the virtual space.